How to have the mindset of the most successful people in the world

Looking at the most successful people in the world, it would be quite natural to ask, “What is it they have that other people don’t?”.

At this point people might say they have had a privileged upbringing, with access to the best education and right social circles. But the fact many of the world’s millionaires and billionaires started with nothing, this simply cannot be the case.

So what else could determine whether or not someone is successful? Theory has it, it all comes down to mindset. And the good news is, if successful people can adopt a success mindset – you can too.

What is the success mindset?

1) Goal-orientated

One of the biggest differences between successful people and unsuccessful people is the goal-orientated mindset. Successful people have a vision of what they want their life and career to look like. They create goals and action plans that will help move them closer to their vision. They understand having a sense of purpose and constantly making progress are key to achieving success.

2) No such thing as failure – only feedback

If you want to be super successful, adopting this mindset is going to be key. If every time something goes wrong, you perceive it as failure, you will very quickly lose motivation and give up. Successful people ensure they stay on track with their goals by perceiving everything as a learning opportunity. They always assess and look for the feedback they can take from the experience. They assess what worked, what didn’t work, and what they need to do differently next time.

3) Positive self-talk

Successful people don’t waste time beating themselves up. They know it will only make them feel bad and demotivated. They recognize they are only human, they don’t know it all and they are going to make mistakes. And they are OK with that. They know how to look for the learning opportunity and quickly move on, striving to learn from their mistakes and do better next time.

4) Growth Mindset

One reason people are not successful is because they believe they cannot change. They are who they are. Their capabilities, skills, talent, behavioural traits etc. are fixed. As a result, they will avoid any challenge they believe they are not equipped to handle.
Successful people have a growth mindset. They know they can improve, be better, learn more, do more. They face challenges because they know they will learn something in the process. They are solutions-orientated and don’t see problems as problems. They see them as learning opportunities, giving them the growth they are looking for.

5) Hunger

Whatever their definition of success, successful people are hungry for it. They know that life is a gift and you only get one shot at it. So you have to make the most of it while you are here. The most successful people in the world also know that real hunger comes from doing something for someone outside of yourself.

6) Persistence and resilience

Life is full of knockbacks. The difference with successful people and unsuccessful people is they keep going. They are resilient, constantly looking for potential solutions. Regardless of what challenges they face, they persevere, driven by the exciting and motivational goals and vision they created.

7) They believe they are in control of their destiny

Too many people have a victim mentality. Where everything is happening to them and they have no control over anything. They blame their circumstances for their lack of success or failures. Successful people are in charge. They take control of their destiny. They rise above personal circumstances and put themselves in the driver’s seat 24/7.

8) Self-belief

Self-belief is at the core of a successful person’s mindset. They know who they are, what they have to offer and that no matter what, they will find a way to achieve their goals. They know that even if things go wrong, they will be OK and will bounce back with full force.

9) Risk-taker

If you want to be successful, you have to take risks. Staying in your comfort zone and playing it safe means the level of success you’ll achieve will always be limited. Don’t get me wrong. Successful people will still have some level of fear. The difference is they don’t let that fear paralyse them. They use it to move them, gaining their certainty from knowing that no matter what happens there will always be something they can learn.

10) Discipline

Focus and discipline are two main traits of successful people. They put in place routines and habits that will keep them on track to their goals. They get up and go to bed at the same time each day. They write to-do lists and plan their day, eliminating all distractions.